Trans epithelial corneal collagen crosslinking for progressive keratoconus: 6 months follow up.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate keratoconus biomechanical changes after transepithelial corneal collagen cross linking (TE CXL) using riboflavin and ultraviolet A (UVA). Setting Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. Design Prospective non comparative case series study. Methods Patients with progressive keratoconus were examined, before and during a 6 months follow up after TE CXL, with a Pentacam, an Ocular Response Analyzer and an IOLMaster. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refraction, corneal thinnest point (CTP), keratometry readings at the keratoconus apex ( K max ), axial eye length (AL), corneal volume (CV) anterior chamber volume (ACV), anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were evaluated. Results Thirty-six eyes of 36 patients with progressive keratoconus were analyzed. Six months after treatment there was a significant improvement in BCVA ( p p  = 0.57), CTP ( p  = 0.07), K max ( p  = 0.88), AL ( p  = 0.07), CV ( p  = 0.38), ACV ( p  = 0.07), ACD ( p  = 0.7), CH ( p  = 0.1) and CRF ( p  = 0.3). Conclusions According to our results TE CXL stabilizes most of the patients with progressive keratoconus, without affecting in negative way the corneal elasticity.